Making a Diagnosis

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine are very old. The written record for this medicine goes back more than 2,500 years, with the earliest texts recording a theory that was already advanced in its philosophy. Presumably, there were even older texts that haven't survived into modern times, predated by a long history of oral tradition. This makes Chinese medicine much older than the many diagnostic tools of Western medicine like blood tests, cell cultures, urinalysis, ultrasound, x-rays, EKGs, and MRIs. So how is a diagnosis made in Chinese medicine? By starting with the patient's chief complaint and framing it within a picture of their overall health. The main diagnostic tool is the interview process, though Chinese medicine has many other ways to gather information including observation and palpation.